13 Years Ago Today...

[Utahbullsfan]

 

[houheffna]

Who is hating?

 

[nwfisch]

I <3 MJ but he wasn't perfect...sorry to break it to you.

 

[Utahbullsfan]

It was a joke lol .... You would be hard pressed to find a star athlete that was completely perfect .... And who says they have to be

 

[nwfisch]

Now we know how to trick Houheffna.

 

[houheffna]

I <3 MJ but he wasn't perfect...sorry to break it to you.

What does his not being perfect have to do with whether he gets away with calls or not? Or whether he gets away with more/less than today's superstars?

 

[Rush]

Please don't let this turn into a Michael Jordan humanitarian thread because he was far from it lol

 

[Uman85]

Please don't let this turn into a Michael Jordan humanitarian thread because he was far from it lol

I'd like to be the kind of humanitarian Jordan was/is. :lol:

 

[houheffna]

Please don't let this turn into a Michael Jordan humanitarian thread because he was far from it lol

That was not my point...nobody thinks there is something wrong with a player socializing with a referee and having the referee hook him up with women? Its bad enough that Eddie Rush had his phone number...

 

[Utahbullsfan]

Stern had, but missed, plenty of warning signs
Fraternization between players and referees isn't new
By Rick Morrissey, Chicago Tribune

Karla Knafel filed a lawsuit in 2002 against Michael Jordan, her former lover, and it was filed with the kinds of juicy revalations that make news cycles dizzy.

One of the details that made a brief appearance and then was largely forgotten is now the most interesting, at least in light of the officiating scandal that is threatening to swallow the NBA.

The lawsuit describes how Jordan and Knafel met:

"In the spring of 1989, Karla was working as a vocalist touring in a band that performed at a hotel in Indianapolis. After Karla's performace, Eddie Rush, an NBA referee, approached her and complimented her about her singing talent. During their conversation, Karla and Mr. Rush talked about the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, who were in town to play the Indianaoplis Pacers.

"Mr. Rush told Karla that he personally knew Jordan. To prove it, he telephoned Jordan at Jordan's Indianapolis hotel room and introduced him to Karla over the phone. Karla and Jordan then chatted for a while."

Back in 2002, I wrote about how unstelling it was that a referee was so shummy with an NBA player that he could pick up the phone and, perhaps unknowingly, help launch an affiar. What else might a referee be able to do?

I contacted the NBA, which said it would look into the matter. A spokesman talked about the importance of limited contact between referees and playersoff the court. And then the story went away.

Except it didn't really go away, at least not in the broader sense of what's transpiring as the league wades through the allegations of former ref Tim Donaghy. Besides charging that two officials affected the outcome of a 2002 playoff game, he says that many referees are pals with general managers, coahces and players.

The Jordan-Knafel story involving Ed F. Rush would seem to back up Donaghy's contention that fraternization between refs and players happens. It might even be the norm.

One of the absolutes in sports is that the people who officiate the games have to be above reproach. You might be of the opinion that they can't see straight, but you're supposed to believe their failure to see properly is a function of poor eyesight, not gambling debts, bribery or pressure from the league office. Or their friendship with players.

As Commissioner David Stern correctly points out, the ugly allegations are coming from a man who is trying to save what's left of his skin.

But Stern knows he has a terrible situation on his hands, one that questions the integrity of his game - integrity being the most imporant thing of all.

At the heart of Donaghy's allegations about the 2002 Lakers-Kings game is the assertion that the NBA wanted the higher-profile Lakers to win. In the fourth quarter of Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, the Lakers shot 27 free throws, the Kings nine. The referees in that game were Bob Delaney, Ted Bernhard and Dick Bavetta. Federal investigators reportedly have been asking other referees about Bavetta's on-court decisions.

The NBA always has struck me as overly chummy. From top to bottom, there's a shared sense of hipness.

Would the NBA tell offications to let the Lakers beat the Kings, as Donaghy alleges? Would officials take it upon themselves to extend a series for the good of the league? Are the referees gambling on NBA games? If referees are, would it be such a leap to ask if players and coaches are gambling on games too?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're the NBA's worst nightmare. And you're not alone.

Heres a story on it

 

[Utahbullsfan]

That was not my point...nobody thinks there is something wrong with a player socializing with a referee and having the referee hook him up with women? Its bad enough that Eddie Rush had his phone number...

I dont think Jordan is the only player who was caught up in this type of conduct... But everything is bigger/worse when you are the GOAT

 

[houheffna]

I dont think Jordan is the only player who was caught up in this type of conduct... But everything is bigger/worse when you are the GOAT

I really don't know, that is a bigger question...but there is proof that he received preferential treatment...on and off the court. It took Scottie a lot longer to get that type of treatment...but if you say "superstar calls" around most NBA fans 25 years old and older...they will most likely think of Jordan.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

If we are talking about Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, let's talk about the fact that Harper had a 2-point runner that should have been a shot-clock violation. And that Howard Eisley had a 3-pointer that should have counted that was waived off.

That's roughly a five-point swing depending on what else would have happened down the stretch of that game.

The Jazz were pretty much screwed out of that game. The Bulls were the better team, but the Jazz probably should have won that game.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

However, those calls like the "push" by Jordan were VERY subjective calls.

It honestly depends on how the rest of the game was getting called so that it was fair on both sides. If the Jazz were getting away with minor contact then so should have Jordan on that play.

It needs to be looked at in the context of the game itself.

 

[houheffna]

However, those calls like the "push" by Jordan were VERY subjective calls.

It honestly depends on how the rest of the game was getting called so that it was fair on both sides. If the Jazz were getting away with minor contact then so should have Jordan on that play.

It needs to be looked at in the context of the game itself.

It WAS looked at in context of the era...which is why Mike Mathis said it was obviously a foul. Jordan just got away with one...plain and simple. That is the way it works for superstars. And its been that way for years.

 

[rairjordan]

It WAS looked at in context of the era...which is why Mike Mathis said it was obviously a foul. Jordan just got away with one...plain and simple. That is the way it works for superstars. And its been that way for years.

disagree...

 

[Glide2keva]

Jordan?? Do you have an article on this?

It was posted, but it proves nothing.

 

[Glide2keva]

disagree...

Pay him no mind. He's just trying to tear down Jordan and his "superstar" calls, by comparing Jordan's "treatment" to lebronze's treatment.

It's pathetic.

 

[houheffna]

Pay him no mind. He's just trying to tear down Jordan and his "superstar" calls, by comparing Jordan's "treatment" to lebronze's treatment.

It's pathetic.

It proves nothing because you can't handle the truth...these are not comic book superheroes, they are human beings, subject to error. You should be old enough to know better by now...

And you are just an idiot who stalks my every move...there are about 3000 posters on this site, why be a stan for my posts? If you have me on ignore (which is great news for me...keep it that way). I would rather argue with Rami or Anytime (where is he?) or Clonetrooper or First Timer or Rush or any damn body that has a damn cognizant thought but you. Please find another hobby...thanks.

It only makes you look bad when you have to hate on someone else that you supposedly are ignoring...pure stupidity.